A big congratulations to seniors Easy Armstrong, Brett Van Damme and Caydence Farrar for being selected as either a winner or a finalist in Lookout Eugene-Springfield's 2026 Journalism Scholarship Challenge, which was open to all students in Lane County. As part of the Journalism class at EHS, they each wrote a feature story about a different unsung hero in the community and submitted it to the challenge. Brett wrote about FRSD Family Resource Coordinator Amy Hand, Easy featured longtime Veneta volunteer Dennis Maricle, and Caydence wrote about TSP's Alan Jeffers. Easy and Brett won the challenge and each received a $500 scholarship, while Caydence was named first runner-up. All three will have their stories published soon in Lookout Eugene-Springfield.

A special thank-you to their outstanding journalism teacher, Michelle Nelson, whose dedication to student voice, authentic storytelling, and high expectations continues to inspire excellence. This achievement is a wonderful example of our commitment to rigor, relationships, and relevance—students engaged in meaningful, real-world work, built connections within their community, and produced journalism that earned recognition beyond the classroom.
Congratulations to Easy, Brett, Caydence, and Mrs. Nelson on this remarkable accomplishment!